Device for hair volumizing

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides hair styling devices worn on the user&#39;s head to give the appearance of greater hair volume. The invention is adapted to be worn in the hair without being seen using a mechanism that secures one&#39;s natural hair to the device allowing for coverage as well as hiding the device. The device may or may not have comb-like appendages. The device may have coloration that mimics the general color of one&#39;s hair. The invention also provides for methods of using the devices.

REFERENCE TO PRIOR FILED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/298,247 filed Jan. 26, 2010 under 35 U.S.C. §119(e).

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to hair styling devices worn onthe user's head to give the appearance of greater hair volume.Additionally, the present invention relates to hair styling deviceswhich give the appearance of greater volume and are adapted to be wornin the hair without being seen. The invention also relates to methods ofusing the devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Adding height or fullness to one's hair is a highly desirable stylishappearance. A number of methods and devices have been proposed to createheight and fullness to hair styles. Various devices including clamps,curling irons, rollers and the like are known which are designed tomechanically and physically alter the shape of the hair. A plethora ofother products are available from a number of sources designed tovolumize hair. These products are generally based on chemicals such aspolymers and surfactants and are applied as sprays, creams and othertreatments. The process of “teasing” creates fullness to a hair stylingbut at the expense of unnatural abuse to the natural structure of hairstands. Other devices are designed to be placed in the hair and leftthere during use, including pins, clips, combs and other devices, whichcontrol hair and hold the hair in place.

Other methods and devices include addition of hair attachments orextensions to add fullness to the main body of hair. These methods anddevices suffer from the need to match the color, fineness and length ofthe wearer's natural hair, a need that can not readily be achieved whencompared to using the wearer's own natural hair.

Some devices for providing fullness to a hair style incorporate adome-like foundation that is placed on the head and hair is then combedover the foundation. Recognizing the problem that hair will continuouslyreposition itself during the time worn, a further embodiment of thefoundation device provides for a barrette-like fastening to hold thehair in place. A barrette fastener can be seen as the hairs shiftsaround during use and the foundation can shift during usage.

The current invention provides for solutions to the shortcomings ofdevices currently presented that are proposed to add fullness to a hairstyling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for a device that increases the volume ofa hair style when in use. The device is held in place either by alteringthe surfaces of the device to allow the hair to secure it or byalterations to the surfaces that adhere the device to the hair and tothe scalp. The present invention includes comb-like appendages as wellas adaptability to adjust the height.

In one embodiment of the invention the device for adding volume to ahair styling, contains a body having a front end, a back end, a topsurface and a bottom surface wherein the top surface is configured tohold onto hair and prevent significant movement of the hair while addingheight to the hair styling.

In a further embodiment of the invention the device is furtherconfigured is to hold the device in place when applied to the surface ofa head; the top and bottom surfaces being fully or partially configuredwith at least one of an array of hooking elements, a mild adhesive,embossed patterns, surface roughness or a material having a highcoefficient of friction.

In a further embodiment the height of the device is fixed or is capableof being adjusted to a desired height.

Further embodiments of the present invention are methods of using thedevices described in the above embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a generalized depiction of a side view of the inventive devicefor volumizing hair style showing the attached appendages 20.

FIG. 2 depicts the view of the inventive device as it is positioned on ahead when in use.

FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of the inventive device showing he topportion 12 and the bottom portion 14 of the device. The top surface of12 and the bottom surface of 14 are fully or partially configured withan array of elements configured to hold onto hair when in use.

FIG. 4 depicts an oblique view of the inventive device showing thedevice without attached appendages.

DETAILS OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the current device 10 is shown and has a topportion 12, a bottom portion 14, a front end 16, and a back end 18 aswell as sides, not numbered, and attached appendages 20. The bottomportion 14 may be flat or may be contoured to lay flat and in full orpartial contact with the surface of the head as shown in FIG. 2.

The device may be made from a number of plastic materials, including,for example, rubber materials or other soft plastic or injectionmoldable materials. The material may have varying levels of flexibilityto allow for continual conformation during movement of the user, or maybe rigid to prevent any movement.

In an expanded view, FIG. 3, the top portion of the device 12 is shown.The top surface of 12 can be fully or partially configured with an arrayof elements configured to hold onto hair when in use. One method ofholding into the hair is by small hooking elements. The hooking elementsare similar to the J-hook mechanisms that are used in “hook and loop”technology used for temporarily connection. In the current invention,hair takes the place of the loops so that when hair is applied over theJ-hooks, the J-hooks grab onto the hair, hold it in place and preventmovement of the hair during use. In this manner the device holds ontothe hair and the device becomes covered with the hair, thereby makingthe device invisible to the casually observer. Thus, the device providesa natural looking volumization since the device will be covered with thewearer's own hair blending the device into the remaining hair. Thebottom portion of the device, 14 in FIG. 3, may also be fully orpartially configured on its bottom surface with an array of J-hookingelements. When placed on the head the J-hooking elements will hook ontothe hair upon which the device has been positioned. In this manner thedevice will be secured and will not have significant movement duringusage. The J-hooks of the invention of the device are configured ofmaterials that will allow the hair to hook and hold, but is pliableenough so that when the device is removed from the head, the J-hooksbend to release to hair with a minimum of discomfort to the user.

The top surface of the top portion 12 and bottom surface of the bottomportion 14 of the device may also be fully or partially configured witha mild adhesive which will adhere to the hair and prevent movement aswell as adhere to the hair upon which the device has been positioned. Inthis case the adhesive will have low adhesive levels that will allow thehair to be secured and at the same time will allow the device to bereadily removed with minimum discomfort to the wearer.

The top surface of the top portion 12 and bottom surface of the bottomportion 14 of the device may also be fully or partially patterned withchannels or indentations or roughness so that hair will lie on thesurface and be secured to the channels, indentations or roughness, thuspreventing movement of the hair.

The top and bottom portions of the device may be configured with thesame materials or with different materials as desired. They may beconfigured from a number of plastic materials, including, for example,rubber materials or other soft plastic or natural products such as wood,or the device may be coated with soft rubbery material allowing for anincrease in comfort for the wearer. The soft rubbery material may have ahigh coefficient of friction which allows the device to be held inplace. The materials used for securing the device to the head and forsecuring hair to the device may be one or more of the materials asdescribed above. The device may have coloration to generally blend inwith the basic hair color such as blonde, brunette, red, gray and thelike.

An array of comb-like appendages may also be attached and protrude fromthe front end of the body, the back end of the body, or both, see 20 inFIG. 1 where the appendages protrude from the front. The appendages arepositioned in the plane of the bottom surface. They may be cylindrical,square, conical, tapered, and ovate or take any form that is configuredto slide into the hair. They can be made from the same material as thebody or may be a different material.

There are times when it is desirable to heighten the hair by only asmall amount or by a large amount. The height can be determined by thedistance between the top surface and the bottom surface of the body.Distances may range from ¼ inch to 2 inches or more depending on theheight desired. The current invention includes a device which isconfigured to alter the distance between the top surface and the bottomsurface.

1. A device for adding volume to a hair styling, comprising a bodyhaving a front end, a back end, a top surface and a bottom surfacewherein the top surface is configured to hold onto hair and preventsignificant movement of the hair while adding height to the hairstyling.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the bottom surface isstructured to align with the contour of a head.
 3. The device of any ofone of claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom surface is configured to holdthe body in place when applied to the surface of a head.
 4. The deviceof claim 3, further comprising an array of comb-like appendagesprotruding from the front end of the body, the back end of the body, orboth, wherein the appendages are positioned in the plane of the bottomsurface.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the top and bottom surfacesare fully or partially configured with an array of hooking elements, amild adhesive, embossed patterns, roughness, or a combination thereof.6. The device of claim 4, wherein the top and bottom surfaces are fullyor partially configured with material having a high coefficient offriction.
 7. The device of any one of claim 5 or 6, wherein the distancebetween the top surface and the bottom surface is configured to be fixedto provide a desired hair height or adjustable to provide a desired hairheight.
 8. (canceled)
 9. A method of volumizing a hair style comprisingthe steps of; a. placing the device of claim 1 onto the head, and b.combing hair over the device to covered the device.
 10. A method ofvolumizing a hair style comprising the steps of; a. placing the deviceof claim 2 onto the head, and b. combing hair over the device to coveredthe device.
 11. A method of volumizing a hair style comprising the stepsof; a. placing the device of claim 3 onto the head, and b. combing hairover the device to covered the device.
 12. A method of volumizing a hairstyle comprising the steps of; a. placing the device of claim 4 onto thehead, and b. combing hair over the device to covered the device.
 13. Amethod of volumizing a hair style comprising the steps of; a. placingthe device of claim 5 onto the head, and b. combing hair over the deviceto covered the device.
 14. A method of volumizing a hair stylecomprising the steps of; a. placing the device of claim 6 onto the head,and b. combing hair over the device to covered the device.
 15. A methodof volumizing a hair style comprising the steps of; a. placing thedevice of claim 7 onto the head, and b. combing hair over the device tocovered the device.